


Like Ink in Water

by MeeemWho



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates, Selectively Mute My Unit | Byleth, Slow Burn, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, They/Them Pronouns for My Unit | Byleth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-10-28 04:44:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20772749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeeemWho/pseuds/MeeemWho
Summary: "Please Sylvain…" Dimitri sighed before turning back to Byleth. "It's like a symbol of the bond you share with a person. When two souls find themselves compatible and an unbreakable bond forms their unique color appears as a mark on your skin. It can be from friends, lovers, and even your family." Dimitri gave Sylvain a pointed glare."I wasn't- ugh." Sylvain pouted. "It's a good analogy, Dimitri. You have to have a special bond with someone to get a hickey. That's a big commitment."In which Byleth learns to feel through the help of their students, and in turn, helps to save someone else.





	1. Part One - Prism

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Colours of Me, the Colours of You, the Colours of Us](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19114399) by [silquefaye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silquefaye/pseuds/silquefaye). 

> Inspired by this really good chrobin fic which in turn was inspired by [Rose Gold](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13416702) by [amairylle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amairylle/pseuds/amairylle).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ prism _
> 
> _n. - a glass or other transparent object in prism form, especially one that is triangular with refracting surfaces at an acute angle with each other and that separates white light into a spectrum of color_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So basically this is a soulmate au but where it's more focused on the bonds you make vs the bonds fate decides which is very sexy and three houses of them. I try and explain it a little with the opening but more and more of the way these marks work will be revealed as I add chapters.
> 
> So soulmarks appear when you make a genuine and true bond with someone and they're always on both people so no unrequited love and stuff. It can be platonic and romantic. They can also fade if the two people have a falling out.
> 
> This starts w/ byleth and switches to dimitri after the timeskip. I have like very little of this written so lmk if u have questions or want to see a ship or want to see more of a character in this. The dimilieth is gonna be extremely slow burn like, get together in the last chapters slow burn.

Byleth always admired the cobalt blue on their father's hand.

It covered all of his fingers, palm, and wrist. They would trace the edge of his skin where the pigment ended on his forearm when they were younger.

"It was the last thing your mother left me." He had said looking out into the distance.

It only left Byleth more and more confused before they finally asked Dimitri on the second week at the monastery.

"Have you never actually known what soul marks are?"

Byleth shrugged as they continued writing. Dimitri, Annette, and Sylvain were busy as well, studying as well as they could. For Dimitri, that meant a book open and a paper out. Annette had three textbooks open and was copying terms and formations onto cards. Sylvain was busy at work trying to fold his singular notecard as many times as possible.

"It's… hmm…" Dimitri brought a hand up to his chin. "I don't think I've ever had to actually explain this before."

"It's like a hickey." Sylvain interrupted.

"Sylvain!" Dimitri snapped.

"What?" Sylvain straightened up in his seat, stretching his arms behind his head. The splatter of blue on his wrist standing out against his crimson hair. "I'm being honest. It's like a love mark that won't go away!"

"Please Sylvain…" Dimitri sighed before turning back to Byleth. "It's like a symbol of the bond you share with a person. When two souls find themselves compatible and an unbreakable bond forms their unique color appears as a mark on your skin. It can be from friends, lovers, and even your family." Dimitri gave Sylvain a pointed glare.

"I wasn't- ugh." Sylvain pouted. "It's a good analogy, Dimitri. You have to have a special bond with someone to get a hickey. That's a big commitment."

"Oh, is that right?" Dimitri questioned. "Then how come you have a new one every week?"

"That's just because- I bond quicker than other people!" Sylvain retorted.

Annette was quietly giggling in the background, continuing to write down notes. Byleth noticed now how there was a slightly cream mark, almost invisible on her complexion, that traveled from just under her jaw down her neck.

"Anyways, Professor, you've probably noticed your own. It's only proper to have marks from your family and friends after all." Dimitri took a second to unbuckle his left gauntlet before continuing. On his thumb was a beautiful shade of green traveling up his hand. "This one here is Ingrid's. Everyone has a unique color or two to their marks. Ingrid is usually a jade or emerald."

Sylvain thumped his boot on the table. "I've got a pretty one from his majesty himself here." He lifted his pants leg slightly to reveal the gold traveling around his calf. "Dimitri has the most gorgeous color to him. But I'm glad the one from my father is on my arm. It's perfect for my hair and the ladies love the pattern."

"Annette, you have one from Mercedes correct?" Dimitri asked.

Annette smiled and unclasped her collar to show the cream mark on her neck. "It's very subtle but I think she likes that. Plus, it's good to test out swatches if makeup on!"

Byleth sat silent as they continued to explain and show various marks. Sylvain all but tripped over himself to show the strokes of gray on his bicep from Felix, and the emerald on his collarbone from Ingrid. Dimitri stopped him with a well aimed paper ball to the face as he tried to unbutton his shirt to show them more from his family. Annette went oddly quiet, rubbing over the unmarked skin on her hand.

When everyone eventually retired and Byleth finally could undress for the night, they stopped to observe rhemself in her small hand mirror.

The only mark on their body was the perfectly imprinted brand on their chest, right above their heart. Its loops and lines looked as if it was stamped on, nothing like the wild patterns on her students. As far as they knew, they had the mark their whole life without questioning it.

"Interesting." The voice in their head spoke. "I do not think that's natural, or at least, it's not like any mark the children had. Hmm… you do not even have a mark from your father."

Byleth could feel something stirring in their chest. Something that felt like they were choking on words they never said.


	2. Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ingrid's Afternoon Routine

"Oh, I've had Dimitri's soulmark for years now." Ingrid said as she brushed across the fur of her horse again. Dirt and dust filled the air around the stables as Byleth assisted with the duties Ingrid usually claimed for herself. They were slowly cleaning the once white horse of mud and dirt after a particularly muddy day of riding.

Ingrid took a second to roll up the right sleeve of her undershirt, revealing a stripe of gold around her elbow. "I remember when it first appeared too. Right after he tripped on the street and I had to calm him down." She laughed. "Back when he used to cry at getting scrapes on his knees."

Byleth nodded as they brushed out a particularly matted patch of fur.

"He started getting really upset because we were in the market. He was afraid that his father would scold him for being un-princelike in public. All I did was help him up and tell him it was gonna be okay and this appeared. I suppose you don't need much to bond to someone when you're only 7." Ingrid wiped her brow and unbuttoned her black coat. 

From where she was standing Byleth could barely see the start of a maroon splotch on her left bicep.

"That color…" they said, pointing towards Ingrid's arm.

"Hmm? Oh…" Ingrid paused before turning and picking up a bucket of water. "That's Glenn's."

"I thought he-"

"Died?" Ingrid interrupted. "Yes, but I guess you don't know much about soul marks, Professor. Dimitri told me about your conversation last week." She picked up a soapy rag and dragged it down the horse's chest. Byleth followed suit and picked up the other one.

"If you have a soulmark from someone, it can stay forever, even if they die." Ingrid continued, her face hardening. "They won't grow or change like those of the living, but as long as you keep them close to your heart…"

Byleth let the silence between them linger for a few moments longer. They worked more, cleaning off caked dirt from the long fibers on the mare's legs. After a few minutes Ingrid took a deep breath and continued.

"I guess I'm glad I got to get his soulmark before he passed. I remember barely getting it not a month before that trip." Ingrid paused to pick up the horse's hoof. "We were celebrating Felix's birthday. He and I had escaped to the gardens while it snowed. I remember he put his hand in mine and promised me he'd make us a great future. I'll never forget how his face lit up as our soul marks appeared."

She smiled and rubbed her arm.

"I'd do anything to be with him again."

They finished cleaning and drying the horse in relative silence.

When evening came and torches started lighting up the campus in a warm glow, Ingrid departed quietly from the company of her friends in the dining hall. She made her way towards the far end of the monestary, where the cathedral hovered above steep cliffs of gray. She leaned against the stone siding and brushed her thumb against her bicep.

If she focused hard enough, maybe she could feel a trace of his warmth still there on her skin.


End file.
